Breaking Boundaries
by Jedi-Bant
Summary: What if Legolas had a twin sister who has spent her life locked away in Mirkwood and all she wants is to have one adventure? What if rather then Legolas going with the Fellowship it was his sister? How long could she go before she is found out?
1. Plans

Chapter 1  
  
She was the Princess of Mirkwood, her name Princess Larwen, Daughter of Thranduil, King of Mirkwood and she had enough. All her life she had been told that she needed to act more lady-like. But she didn't want to sit around sewing and gossiping with the other ladies of the court. No, she wanted to go out see the world and have an adventure. Many blamed her boyish behaviour on her father for laughing and encouraging her when she was younger, he had said that she would grow out of it as she grow, but they were wrong.  
  
But when she over heard (see was eavesdropping she was just in the right sorry...wrong place at the wrong time) that there was going to be a Council in Rivendell, the house of Elrond. She knew that she had to be a part of it. She begged her father to let her go to Rivendell to see the council, but once again she was told that it was to dangerous at this time to be leaving home and as a woman she should be thinking of marriage and children. Not go gallivanting off on pointless adventures to the distant corners of Middle Earth.  
  
So when the official invitation came she intercepted the messenger and persuaded the messenger to give the letter to her (she could be very persuasive when she needed to be) and quickly rewriting the letter and changing the dates of the council, before taking it to her father.  
  
And so it was that Thranduil was finding elves to go to Rivendell for a council on the 27th of the month when Larwen was getting ready to leave in the dead of the night for a council on the 3rd of the month.  
  
She knew that it would take 4 days to get to Rivendell on horseback so she would leave the next day to be there a day early. She wouldn't tell anyone who she was just that she was the messenger from Mirkwood. That night she didn't go to dinner, sending a message that she was tired and going to bed early. Instead she went to her younger brother's room and stole some of his travelling clothes.  
  
She then took out her bow and checked that it was still in good order, she had loved artery when she was younger and had become one of the finest in Mirkwood, but 100 years had passed since she last used it as the ladies of the court thought it was unbecoming of a lady to be wielding a weapon, but it was something that she never forgot, she had kept up with different exercises to keep her arms strong enough to pull the string. Later she went down to the armoury and took a bundle of arrows as well as the twin to the knife she kept under her pillow at night. (She insisted that she wouldn't sleep one minute without some protection that didn't include just the guards that marched up and down the hallways at night. Her father had refused, till she collapsed at an important meeting from lack of sleep.)  
  
When she had her weapons she stole food from the kitchens and packed a bag for the next night when she would leave. 


	2. Getting ready

Chapter 2  
  
The next day she made her last arrangements. She asked her friend handmaiden and bodyguard, Vanya, to stand in for her while she was gone, they had always had an unbelievable likeness which not even her family could tell them apart. She had left Mirkwood before using the same technique she would usually go to Lothlorian. The Lady Galadrial seemed to understand that she wanted to act normal in her time at the Golden woods so very few people were informed that she was a Princess and her father wasn't told about her secret outings.  
  
(A/N yes I stole a Star wars idea. So sue me ... no wait please don't I'm broke as it is.)  
  
So Vanya would stand in for her while she was gone as they had done so many times before this would hopefully give her enough time to be long gone before her father found out or maybe she would be back and he would never notice.  
  
That night before Vanya went to dinner in her place and she got ready to go. She undid her hair which was done in an elaborate hair style that showed her status and she redid it in the style of a simple elven warrior. She then got out on a her corsets that she wore under her dresses and got Vanya to do it up so that she had no bust and she left the bottom lose so her feminine shape was lost. She also stuck a sheathed knife in the bodice as an extra if anything happened to her other weapons. She then put on her brothers cloths and weapons. She then looked in the mirror at the finished product. She no longer looked like a delicate princess but instead a war hardened solider. Now was the test to see if her family recognised her.  
  
They quickly left the room and went their separate ways. Larwen out to the stables and Vanya to the dining hall.  
  
Larwen chose a random horse from the stable rather then her own, as it would be obvious if the Princess horse went missing that she was gone. She quickly mounted and left without looking back.  
  
(/)  
(=' '=)  
  
(")(")  
  
On the way to Rivendell she practised her archery to get back up to standards that she use to have. As she had thought before it was a skill that you couldn't forget only perfect.  
  
4 days later on the 2nd November she arrived at the borders of Rivendell. She introduced herself as Legolas of Mirkwood and was let through. So far so good she thought to herself.  
  
The next would be Lord Elrond. That would be the real test.  
  
He was greeted in a large courtyard by the Lord of Rivendell and to his surprise an Istari. Gandalf the grey if she wasn't mistaken. She thought for a moment that she was discovered when Gandalf gave him a strange look but he said nothing and she was quickly lead to a room to rest before the council the next day.  
  
Translations  
  
Vanya – Beautiful Istari – Wizard 


	3. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!

(A/N Larwen is now going to be referred to as Legolas)  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mondor." Elrond said; he used the same tone that Legolas's father used when he was dead serious about something, "Middle earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite, or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom. Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."  
  
Legolas watched as a small being stood and placed a ring on a pedestal in the centre of the circle of men, elves and Dwarfs. Her heart went out to the poor Hobbit, who shook nervously as everyone turned their attention to him. She swore right there and then that she would help the little one in whatever why she could.  
  
One of the men were the first to speak up. "So it's true. It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor kept the forces of Mordor at bay by the blood of our people are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!"  
  
"You cannot wield it! None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master." Another man said. He was tall with shoulder length brown hair and a weather worn look.  
  
"And would a ranger know of this matter?" the first asked  
  
One of Elrond's twin sons stood, "This is no mere ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."  
  
"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?"  
  
"An heir to the throne of Gondor." The other twin said.  
  
"Havo dad, Elladan, Elrohir." Aragorn said nodding his thanks to the twins.  
  
"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king." The other man said dismissively.  
  
"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it." Gandalf said  
  
"You have only one choice. The ring must be destroyed." Elrond informed the council.  
  
"What are we waiting for??" one of the Dwarves said as he stood axe raised and brought it down on the ring with perfect aim. But the axe shattered and Legolas had to dodged a piece as it flow past his face.  
  
"The ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Glóin by any craft that we here posses. The ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the firey casem from whence it came. One of you must do this."  
  
No one said a word for a moment. Then the steward of Gondor's son spoke up again.  
  
"One does not simply walk in to Mordor. It's black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air that you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly."  
  
"Have you heard nothing that Lord Elrond has said? The ring must be destroyed!" Legolas said, speaking up with her usual confidence that many thought unbecoming of a woman but perfectly acceptable for a male.  
  
"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it!" Gimli said accusingly to her.  
  
"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Boromir asked.  
  
"I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf!" Gimli shouted.  
  
Everyone stood up and started arguing. Legolas joined in the argument but was mainly to hold back some of the elves that were looking ready to kill the dwarf who had insulted one of their kind, though she doubted that they would be if they knew that she was a woman.  
  
"I will take it! I will take it!"  
  
Everyone stopped and turned to where the small voice was coming from.  
  
It was Frodo. "I will take the ring to Mordor... Though ... I do not know the way."  
  
"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins. As long as it is yours to bear." Gandalf said to the hobbit putting a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"By my life or death, if I can protect you, I will. You have my sword." Aragorn said  
  
"And you have my bow." Legolas said straight away wanting to do anything she could to help the small creature.  
  
"And my axe!" Gimli said.  
  
"You carry the fate of us all little one. If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done." Legolas barely suppressed a groan at this, she really didn't like the stuck up mortal.  
  
"Ha! Mr Frodo's not going anywhere without me." Another Hobbit yelled. Popping out from behind some nearby bushes.  
  
"No, indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a secret council, and you are not." Legolas almost giggled but quickly remembered that she was a man now and men didn't giggle.  
  
"Oi! We're coming too! You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us." Two more Hobbit's jumped out from behind some pillons.  
  
"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission... quest...thing." one of then stated  
  
"Well that rules you out, Pip." The other said, Pip nodded till he actually worked out what had been said.  
  
"Nine companions. So be it! You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring." Elrond said  
  
"Great. Where are we going?" Pip asked innocently.  
  
Legolas just hoped he could do some good before they worked out what she really was, a SHE.  
  
Translations  
  
Havo dad – sit down 


	4. M'lady

Chapter 4  
  
The next day the fellowship left. There was a large gathering people from the different races.  
  
Frodo lead them out of the gate and down the path till they were out of sight of Rivendell when Gandalf took lead. Legolas walked with Sam and the pony they had brought with them, Bill. Sam asked him all different questions about Mirkwood and the elves there.  
  
Legolas noticed that Aragorn and Gandalf were talking at the front of the group and would look back at them occasionally. She knew that both of them were suspicious of her. She could only hope that she would have a chance to prove herself before they worked it out completely and decided to send her home.  
  
They walked for a few days stopping at night for rest and food, before they came to a small rocky site in the middle of a plain near the Gap of Rohan. They decided to stop for awhile even though it was still daylight.  
  
Sam started to cook lunch while Aragorn and Boromir tried to teach Merry and Pipping to use a sword properly. Gandalf and Gimli sat on a rock smoking their pipes. Legolas went as far away from the smoke as was possible without leaving the group and watched to surrounding area. Till he saw a strange cloud in the distance.  
  
But it was Sam who voiced the disturbance.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"Nothing, it's just a wisp of cloud." Gimli dismissed it.  
  
"Well, it's moving fast. Against the wind." Boromir said doubtfully  
  
That was when she recognised them, she had seen them in a book in the palace library in Mirkwood, "Crebain from Dunland!!"  
  
"Hide!!" Aragorn shouted.  
  
Sam watered out the fire and ran for cover.  
  
"Come on! Come on! Take cover!" Aragorn urged them.  
  
They all found cover just as the birds flew over them. Legolas looked up watching them disappear from their view. They waited a few minutes to make sure there were no stragglers before coming out of their hiding places.  
  
"Spies of Saruman. The passage south is being watched. We must take the pass of Caradhras." Gandalf said before quickly gathering up their things and walking quickly towards the mountain.  
  
After only a 100 metres of going up the snow covered mountain Legolas know that it was going to be very hard for the others who couldn't walk on top of the snow and it could even be the death of the 4 Hobbits.  
  
Not long after Frodo fall over and started to role down the slope.  
  
"Frodo!" Aragorn shouted, running to catch the poor Hobbit. When Frodo was righted again he started to panic and search for the ring. They all looked around to try and find it and so Boromir did. Legolas drew an arrow and held it loosely on his bow ready to shoot the man if need be.  
  
"Boromir." Aragorn spoke.  
  
"It is a strange fate. For which should suffer so much fear and doubt. Over so small a thing. Such a little thing." Boromir said thoughtfully.  
  
"Boromir! Give the ring to Frodo." Aragorn ordered gently but firmly.  
  
Boromir stopped staring at the ring and handed it back to Frodo. "As you wish." Legolas relaxed and quickly put the arrow away before Boromir could see it, she was sure that that wouldn't go well with the human.  
  
"I care not." Boromir assured them. Before continuing up the hill. But Legolas could tell that he did care and the ring was calling him.

Well so much for that idea. Saruman had tried to bring the mountain down on top of them so they had decided to go through the mines of Moria instead. Not something that Legolas was looking forward to. Sure the Mirkwood palace was stone but there were so many windows and vines crawling up the walls that you would hardly notice. But she wouldn't complain, she didn't want to give Gandalf and Aragorn a reason to send her home.  
  
So now she was sitting outside the doors of Moria with the dwarf prattling on about how much more hospitable the dwarves were compared to the elves. But she wasn't listening, she was watching the water. There was something she didn't like about it. Aragorn looked at her and seemed to see that she was uneasy about it so stopped Merry and Pippin from throwing stones across it.  
  
"Mellon" Gandalf said.  
  
Friend? Why on Middle Earth would he say Friend??? She thought. But she quickly found out why. The doors opened letting them all enter the mines.  
  
"Soon Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer, red meat of the bone! This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin. And they call it a mine. A MINE!" Gimli said next to him as they entered.  
  
"This is no mine. It's a tomb." Boromir said. All around them were the rotting corpses of long dead dwarves.  
  
"No! Nooo! NOOOO!"  
  
Legolas ran lightly over to one of the bodies, pulled out the arrow that had corsed the poor fellows death and studied the head. "Goblins!" she stated in disgust. Throwing it to the ground before pulling her own arrow.  
  
"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here! Now get out of here! Get out!!" Boromir shouted  
  
Sam: "Strider!!!" They all turned to see Frodo being dragged away by a large tentacle.  
  
The Hobbits were hitting the creature with their swords but they weren't strong enough to do much damage.  
  
"Aragorn!!" Merry this time, sounding really scared and desperate.  
  
Frodo was screaming at the top of his lungs. Being thrown around in the air by the tentacle.  
  
They all ran over to try and free the poor Hobbit. But they weren't having any luck. So Legolas to a chance and jumped into the head of the creature and shot it in the eye. Being overly adventurous as a child she had tried to ride standing on horses before but horses were calmer then this and weren't trying to kill you. But the creature finally dropped Frodo who was caught by Boromir.  
  
"Into the mines!!!" Gandalf yelled. Running off followed by the fellowship except Legolas who was trying to get off of the watcher, without getting completely soaked.  
  
"Legolas!" Boromir called back to her.  
  
Well at lest someone realises that I'm not there, she thought. But didn't comment when she finally managed to get of the creature and follow the fellowship. As they ran they heard the door collapse behind them and all went black. They all stopped and turned. Indeed the door was gone.  
  
Gandalf placed a small rock in the top of his staff and it lit up. "We now have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world." He warned them. "It's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."  
  
And so they set off through the mines of moria. As they walked Legolas noted the difference in the attitudes of the different members of the fellowship. Aragorn looked grave as he whispered to Gandalf at the front of the group. Gandalf kept looking back at her as if he was trying to work something out. Boromir was trying to calm down the Hobbits who all looked very shocked at Frodo's near death experience. Gimli was also very solum in front of him the discovery of Moria's fall had hit him hard and it was showing.  
  
"That was a very stupid thing to do Legolas." She jumped at the sudden voice next to her. She look over to see Gandalf walking next to her. "I apologise Mithrandir but something had to be done to save Frodo." Legolas defended. "Yes and that is why what you did was very brave. Well done, M'lady." Legolas stopped shocked. She watched as Gandalf continued to move after the rest of the fellowship. He knew. He knew her true identity. She knew that she would be sent home now. She would just have to hope that her Ada wasn't told.  
  
Translations

Mithrandir – Elvish name for Gandalf.

Ada - Father


	5. On one condition

**Chapter 5**

They were out. Moria was behind them and Lóthlórien ahead. Gandalf had fallen and it took all her strength not to break down and cry. But she had to be strong for the Hobbits and so that the rest of the fellowship would work out who she really was.

It had been a relief when Gandalf didn't tell the rest of the fellowship about her. They had talked on the first night in Moria. Gandalf had said that he would tell anyone unless it jeopardized the mission in some way.

But now she had other problems. Galadriel!

Legolas had been to Lórien many times before as the princess of Mirkwood. After her mother had died her father saw the need for her to have some female influence in her life and so had sent her to the Lady of the Golden woods. This meant that many of the elves could recognise her and reveal her to the fellowship.

She could only hope that Galadriel would forgive her.

Legolas looked at the elves surrounding them.

"The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark." Haldir said.

Haldir looked at each of them in turn and he paused on Legolas longer then the others.

"_Haldir o Lórien. Henion aníron, boe ammen i dulu lîn. Boe ammen veriad lîn._ **(Haldir of Lórien, we come here for help. We need your protection.)" **Aragorn said, drawing attention away from Legolas.

"Aragorn, these woods are perilous! We should go back." Gimli said.

"You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot go back." Haldir said, "Come."

Haldir lead them through the woods to a guard checkpoint where they were told they would be staying the night.

The March warden looked at the princess.

"Follow me please, your highness." He said before climbing the tree and leaving the other elves to help the fellowship. She looked at Aragorn for permission and after receiving a nod she followed Haldir.

"Forgive my bluntness, M'lady but shouldn't you be at home reading a book?" Haldir said when they were out of everyone else's hearing range.

"Yes that is blunt, It has nothing to do with you what I do with my time." She snapped.

"It does when the people you travel with obviously don't know what you really are!"

"Well Elrond and Mithrandir didn't stop me so why should you?"

"Come with me." He said before running off through the trees. Sighing she followed him.

"And just where are you taking me going."

"We are going to see the Lady and she will decided what is to be done with you." He said.

Feeling it would be better for Galadriel to find out before the rest of the fellowship arrived, she followed.

When they got to the platform where the Lord and Lady of Lórien meet with visitors, she was told to wait while Haldir went to find them.

"Would you please explain to me why you are dressed in the clothes of a Man?" Galadriel asked as she entered the room and descended the steps.

"My Lady I apologise but I didn't mean for this to go this far. I only wanted to visit Rivendell but when Elrond spoke of the quest I felt that I could be of assistance to the Fellowship so I volunteered to join the quest."

"That as it may be you are still female and therefore we must return you to your father." Celeborn told her.

"I am aware of that, my lord. But..."

Galadriel held up a hand to silence her.

"In the interest of peace between our lands we should return you to your homeland, but Gandalf must have known that you weren't what you seem so he must have had a reason for allowing you to go on the quest. Mithrandir has never done anything without reason so I am willing to allow you to continue, on one condition, if there is any reason that your true identity jeopardizes the mission then you are to return home."

"As you wish my Lady, I have also given that promise to Mithrandir and I don't mean to break that promise." Legolas curtsied to the lady of the woods, who raised an eyebrow at her so Legolas quickly changed to a bow.

Galadriel nodded and the left the room with her husband.

Legolas then followed Haldir back to where the Fellowship was staying the night.

Sorry about the long wait I have been working on some of my other fics, sorry to neglect this one.

Thanks again to my positive reviewers.


	6. Caught

**Chapter 6**

The fellowship sat quietly in the area that had been given to them to rest in. They had separated into different corners, so that they would all be able to grieve for the loss of Gandalf.

The clearing was silent till elvish voices filled the air.

**A Olorin i yaresse **( Olorin, who once was...)  
**Mentaner i Numeherui...** (sent by the Lords of the West...)

"A lament for Gandalf," Legolas told them, keeping her back to the group so they wouldn't see her cry.

"What do they say about him?" Merry asked

"I have not the heart to tell you. For me the grief is still too near." She replied walking further from the group.

**Tirien i Romenori** (to guard the lands of the East...)  
**Maiarion i Oiosaila...(**wisest of all Maiar...)  
**Mana elye etevanne...(**what drove you to leave...)  
**Norie i melanelye?** (that which you loved?)

"I bet they don't mention his fireworks. There should be a verse about them. The finest rockets ever seen. They burst in stars of blue and green. Or after thunder, silver showers came falling like a rain of flowers. Oh, that doesn't do them justice by a long road." She hear Sam mutter as she walked away to find some comfort in the trees.

Legolas walked through the trees till she found a small lake. She debated with herself whether she should risk bathing or if it was to risky so close to the fellowship, she wasn't worried about the elves nearby, if they came to close he could pretend to be a visitor from Mirkwood.

Her need to be clean quickly won over and she striped off her travelling cloths and wadded into the water. She took her hair out of the warrior braids which she had copied from her brother and ducked under the water.

She used some oil which she kept in her belt, to wash herself and then her hair, before just relaxing in the lake for awhile. She had just relaxed enough in the pool that she was almost falling asleep when she heard footsteps approaching.

She knew that they couldn't be an elf's or Aragorn's as they were too loud, and they couldn't be one of the hobbits as they were too heavy. So that left Boromir and Gimli.

Both one spelt disaster for her and she was about to run out of the water to grab her cloak when Gimli came within line of sight and spotted her.

She turned her back in the hope that he hadn't seen her face.

"There you are Legolas, I wanted to talk to you," Gimli said as he approached the lake.

Hoping that she could fool the dwarf she changed the tone of her voice so that it couldn't be taken for anything but a females'.

"My lord, you mistake me my name is Larwen, not Legolas."

"Oh, I apologise M'lady, I mistook you for someone else."

She heard him turn to leave but he paused and turned back.

"Have you seen the owner of these cloths and weapons?"

Legolas cursed herself, she had forgotten about the distinct weapons which she had left on the side of the lake. There was no way that she could get out of this now.

"Did it ever occur to you Master Dwarf that I may want some privacy?" she said in the voice which she used with the fellowship. She stayed low in the water so that her breasts where below the waterline and turned so that Gimli could see her face.

The dwarf looked shocked for a moment the quickly covered it up with an indifferent look.

"Well then maybe if you want some privacy then you should have told us where you were going you have been gone for hours."

"For one Dwarf, you and no other person in this fellowship needs to know my every move, secondly, this is Lórien, nothing is going to harm me here and finally why should you care?"

"It doesn't matter whether I care or not, now come out of there and let us return to the fellowship, before Aragorn starts pulling his hair out." Gimli demanded.

"Here's another idea, How about you go and tell Aragorn that I am fine and I'll join you when I'm ready to join you." With that comment said, she turned her back on the dwarf and hoped that he would get the idea.

"Are you hiding something, Elf?"

"And what would give you that idea?"

"Ah so you don't deny it."

Legolas turned around to face him again, "I does not matter whether I deny it or not, I would like to know why you think such a thing. What do you think I am hiding?"

"Well," Gimli paused as he walked over to Legolas's pile of clothing next to the lake, "it could be that you have a corset with you clothing," he said holding up the offending piece of clothing, "and that you are making special care to stay under water. I think that you aren't male."

"Well maybe I'm not but I fail to see how that would have anything to do with you." The Dwarf knew practically nothing about elvish culture so hopefully he could be convinced not tell Aragorn or maybe she should just leave now and hope that her father hadn't realised the person with him wasn't her.

"Aragorn doesn't know does he," Gimli stated.

"No he doesn't and I would keep it that way. Please turn around I am getting out."

Gimli did as he was asked and she left the water, drying herself with her cloak before putting her leggings, she decided to ditch the corset as it only made it hard for her to move and instead took a strip of material she had retrieved earlier to wrap around her breasts to try and reduce their size and movement, before pulling on her undershirt and tunic.

"Why is it a problem that you are female?" Gimli asked.

"Gimli, I am a Princess, I am expected to look pretty and marry some person I've never met so that Mirkwood can strengthen its alliances. All I wanted was to see Rivendell, to have some adventure before I am forced to have children, so I tricked my father and ran away. I should never have come on this quest. Maybe I should go tell Frodo that I am leaving." She gathered up her weapons and headed back to the Fellowship.

"You can't leave!" Gimli said suddenly.

"Oh and why is that?" She asked, not bothering to face the dwarf.

"Well..." Gimli paused, looking embarrassed, "your sort of...the calming essence in the Fellowship. You see, Aragorn and Boromir have tension between them because of Gondor, Merry and Pippin are always running around with endless energy, Sam is so careful around Frodo it's annoying and although I may not like to admit it I do enjoy your company, you seem to be the only person in the group who can calm everyone down with no effort."

She turned back to face him, "You really think so?"

He nodded, "Were taking the river as far as possible then we are continuing on foot. Why don't you wait till we get to the end of the river before you decide to stay or not? That's takes you closer to home anyway if memory serves me."

"Very well," she agreed reluctantly.

Gimli nodded once then started back towards the clearing where the Fellowship was staying.

"Oh and Gimli, when were in private, use my real name, Larwen."


	7. Lets hunt some Orc!

**Chapter 7**

After spending a few days in Lóthlórien to recover their strength the fellowship took three boats down the river Anduin. Gimli had made a show of complaining about being in a boat with Legolas but he had a joking tone to his voice that told them that he was teasing the elf so Aragorn didn't rearrange their seating in the boats.

The trip was undisturbed save from them discovering that Gollum was following them and an argument between Aragorn and Boromir about their route to Mordor, but other then that the trip had been rather relaxing, especially for the Hobbits who simply had sit while the others paddled the boats along the river.

Three days after they had set out from Lórien they came to Parth Galen where they were to leave the boats and continue on foot.

"We cross the lake at nightfall. Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north." Aragorn said when the boats where securely beached.

"Oh, yes?! It's just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks! And after that, it gets even better! Festering, stinking marshlands far as the eye can see!" Gimli said sarcastically, making the hobbits look rather anxious.

"That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength master dwarf." Aragorn said.

Legolas stifled a laugh, knowing that the dwarf wouldn't appreciate that comment.

True to his thoughts Gimli muttered under his breath indignantly, "Recover my...?! Phrrrrr..."

"We should leave now." She suggested to Aragorn.

"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness."

"It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near...I can feel it!" She said looking around the area as if that 'something' was going to jump out at them.

Gimli stalked over to a nearby rock and sat down next to Pippin, "No dwarf need recover strength! Pay no heed to that, young hobbit." He assured the hobbit as he settled down against the rock.

Merry had disappeared into some nearby trees and now returned with a small pile of wood for a campfire. He set the wood down, and then looked around the campsite.

"Where's Frodo?" he asked after finding that his cousin was missing.

Sam jerked out of his doze and looked around for his master, along with the rest of the fellowship; they soon found that Boromir was also missing.

"Gimli, stay here with the hobbits, Legolas you go that way," Aragorn said pointing North-West, "I will go South-west."

Legolas headed in the direction that Aragorn had pointed out to her not only in search of Frodo and Boromir but also on the look out for the danger that she had sensed earlier. Female elves have a higher sense for danger then males, it was thought to be a maternal instinct for when they had children later in life but they were all born with it. However she couldn't inform Aragorn of this as it would alert him of the fact that she was Female.

The longer she searched for the missing fellowship member, the more uneasy she felt. Unable to locate the Ring-bearer or Steward's son, she was heading back towards the camp when she heard Aragorn's voice nearby.

"ELENDIL!!!"

Legolas ran towards the voice and sound of battle that had followed it. As she ran Gimli appeared from behind some bushes, also running towards the fight.

"Where are the hobbits?"

"They all ran off as soon as you left." Gimli complained.

"What? You can't control a couple of Hobbits?" she taunted good naturedly as they ran.

Gimli glared at him as they burst out of the trees into the clearing where Aragorn was fighting the large group of Uruk-Hai and Orcs. The pair quickly went about helping the future king of Gondor in killing the enormous amount of Uruk-Hai and Orcs.

"Aragorn! Go!" she yelled to him, hoping that he would leave to warn the others of the danger. But he stubbornly kept fighting alongside the Dwarf and Elf.

She went to shoot an arrow at on of the Orcs but it was to close, so she rammed the arrow she was holding, between the orcs ribs into its heart then pulled the arrow out and shot it at another.

As they were fighting they all heard three loud blasts of a horn.

"The Horn of Gondor!" she yelled over the noise of the enemy.

"Boromir!" Aragorn confirmed.

They ran down Amon Hen in the direction that the horn had come form, but the Uruk-Hai were too many and they didn't get far before they were once again fighting.

The horn sounded again, this time closer.

Legolas and Gimli continued to fight the Orcs while Aragorn managed to get past them and over to Boromir.

When they finally killed the last of the Uruk-Hai they ran in the direction that Aragorn had taken, only to find the man kneeling over Boromir's deceased body.

They stayed back, giving Aragorn a chance to say his goodbyes to the man. Legolas watched the pair sadly, silent tears running down her face. She saw Gimli bow his head and turn away next to her unable to watch the pair any longer.

"They will look for his coming from the White Tower. But he will not return." Aragorn said sadly, before bending down and picking the son of Gondor up of the ground and carrying him back to the camp to give him a proper burial.

They removed the arrows from his body and laid him gently in one of the boats which they had emptied. They placed his sword, horn and shield inside the boat with him but Aragorn removed the man's wrist guards. They gently pushed the boat out onto the water and watched silently as the boat disappeared over the raging falls of Rauros.

Aragorn strapped on Boromir's wrist guards in the mans honour as he turned away from the falls.

Legolas started to push the final boat on to the water, "Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore." But she stopped when she saw that Aragorn just stood silent and unmoving on the shore.

"You mean not to follow them?" she asked.

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands."

"Then it has all been in vain! The Fellowship has failed." Gimli said sadly.

Aragorn placed a hand on each of their shoulders, "Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let's hunt some orc!" Aragorn said, pushing his knife back into its scabath. **(A/N can't work out how to spell can someone please tell me.)**

"Yes," Gimli said laughing before following their leader as he disappeared into the trees.

**A/N did this chapter while babysitting and watching the Mummy Returns Toy Story 2, was bored, but don't expect updates to often am about to start my TEE, scary, help. Oh well if I pass I pass if not I just don't get a pet snake for Christmas, there's always next year.**

**Lov**

**JEDIBANT**

**PS any ideas that any one gets for this fic please tell me. I have a few but the more ideas I have the faster I will update.**

**Also reviews can help me update faster as well HINT HINT.**

**Reviews**

WhiteLotus25 Jenny Islander Ok I write Fan Fiction for the fun of it. It gives me stress relief, but I'm not forcing people to read what I write. Personally I think half my stuff is crap, but i'm not trying to be a famous writer I'm trying to have some fun I know I can never be a good writer because I have a learning disability that prevents me from writing what I think and anyway that is the fun of Fan Fiction you can change the story around so it works your way, if everyone wrote fan fiction the way that Tokin wrote his books half the people who read and write Fan Fiction won't. I haven't read the books cause I can't understand a word that he had written, again with the learning disability but that is just me.

I am not forcing you to read this story but I will point out to everyone who reads this that it is AU and I do this for my enjoyment and I love it went other people enjoy them too.

Sorry about the rant but that's the way it is.

Azla Dadaiiro Pointy-eared-elfs Thanks for your positive reviews. I just love feedback. I made it so Gimli took it well because they were meant to be friends in the real story so I wanted them to be friends in this one, and Legolas needed to have someone know.

Lov

JEDIBANT


	8. Riders of Rohan

**Chapter 8**

They had been running for almost five days now and still hadn't seen any sign of the Orcs who had taken Merry and Pippin. Legolas looked at the rising sun which had turned the sky a blood red colour.

"A red sun rises. Blood has been spilt this night." She commented to her companions.

However Aragorn was concentrating on getting to the Hobbits too much to acknowledge her, while Gimli was having trouble breathing properly let along speaking.

Aragorn stopped running and listened to the sounds around them. The sound of horse hooves running towards was heard and they hid behind some nearby rocks to see if they were friend or foe.

They horses passed and she recognised them as men of Rohan; Aragorn did as well as he moved out of hiding and call to them.

"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?"

The entire formation of horses moved as one to surround the three companions and moved in around them so they couldn't escape if they wanted too. Spears were aimed at them from all directions so they could be killed at any moment.

"What business does an elf, a man and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly." One of the ridders asked from his mount.

"Give me your name, horse master, and I shall give you mine." Gimli stated.

Legolas closed her eyes and sent a silent prayer to the Valar, asking why Gimli had to be so stubborn.

"I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground."

Her eyes snapped open and she drew an arrow before anyone could comprehend what she had done, aiming at the man, who had dismounted from his horse she said, "You would die before your stroke fell."

She felt some of the spears around her brush past her head ready to kill her if she attacked their leader, but she stood her ground.

Aragorn however pushed her bow aside and addressed the man.

Legolas turned her attention away from Aragorn as he introduced them all; she concentrated on the men around her and their words amongst themselves. Many of them were talking about her, she assumed that many of them had never seen an elf as it had been many years since Elves had travelled freely in the realms of men; it had been come too dangerous as some men had started to take elves for their own pleasure.

One conversation attracted her above the others however,

"Are you sure it's male, looks female to me." One of the men said.

"Yes it is rather feminine but from what I've heard of elves they are all very pretty." Another said.

"I saw an elf once, looked masculine but I wasn't sure with that one either." Stated a third.

"Maybe there isn't a difference between male and female." The first said.

She turned her attention back to Aragorn,

"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them in the night." Eomer was saying.

"But there were two hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli said, distraught.

"They would be small, only children to your eyes." Aragorn prompted.

"We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them."

"Dead?" Gimli said dumbly as if not believing it.

"I am sorry," The man whistled, "Hasufel, Arod," two horses approached from amongst the ranks. "May these horses bear you better fortune then their former masters. Farewell." He remounted his horse and started to turn away from them, "Look for your friends, but do mot trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands. We ride north!" he yelled to his men, they left leaving the three fellowship members behind with the two horses.

Legolas refused to believe that he Hobbits were dead until she saw there bodies with her own eyes, she stated so to her companions.

"Then let us find them, hopefully alive." Aragorn said mounting Hasufel.

"I refuse to mount that animal." Gimli told Legolas as Aragorn started away, trusting the others two to follow.

"Then you will be left behind, Master Dwarf, and then I will have no one to taunt." Legolas stated mounting Arod.

"More like there will be no one to keep you out of trouble," Gimli grumbled before allowing Legolas to lift him up onto the horse. Once he was safely secure atop the horse Legolas requested to Arod in elvish to move forward in a canter, forcing Gimli to grab a hold of Legolas's waist to keep from falling off.

They caught up with Aragorn and continued on at a gallop towards the smouldering pill of Uruk-Hai in the distance.

When they got the to remains of the fire they dismounted and started to search the area for any sign of the two Hobbits.

Gimli found the first sign of them, "It's one of their wee belts."

"Hiro hyn hidh ab 'wanath. **May they find peace after death." **Legolas quietly said a prayer for the two Hobbits.

Nearby Aragorn kicked one of the nearby Orc helmets before falling to his knees with a cry of despair.

"We've failed them." Gimli said sadly.

"A hobbit lay here." Aragorn said suddenly, touching the ground he was examining. "And the other." Legolas and Gimli moved over to their friend and leader. "They crawled. Their hands were bound." He moved forward with the marks that the hobbits had made until he found a piece of rope which he picked up and inspected

"Their bonds were cut." He continued to follow the marks, "They ran over here. They were followed. The tracks lead away from the battle... into Fangorn Forest." He paused here, the other two closes behind him.

"Fangorn? What madness drove them in there?" Gimli said staring into the dark, tangled mass of trees.

"Come on," Aragorn prompted running forward into the trees.

They moved silently through the forest looking for signs of Merry or Pippin, which was difficult as the trees were so close together and the ground was very uneven because of roots and the leaf litter that covered it in huge quantities.

Gimli found a black substance on a leaf and tasted it. "Orc blood." He stated spitting the blood out again.

They continued on still watching the ground for any sign of the Hobbits but instead found a set of strange tracks, which Aragorn pointed out the them.

"The air is so close in here." Gimli complained.

"This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory... and anger." Legolas said looking around at the trees. A low groan filled the air and Gimli raised his axe in case something was going to attack them.

"The trees are speaking to each other."

"Gimli! Lower your axe." Aragorn said. When Gimli complied the groaning settled down.

Legolas saw something in the trees,"Aragorn, Nad no ennas! **Something is out there."**

"Man cenich? **What do you see."**

"The White Wizard approaches." She said in common for Gimli's benefit.

"Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us."

They all readied their weapons.

"We must be quick."

They all attacked the wizard but their weapons were all deflected and they heated to an unbearable level till they were forced to drop them. The wizard was shrouded in a bright white light which was hard, even for Legolas to look at.

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits." The wizard said,

"Where are they?" Aragorn demanded

"They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" The wizard asked.

"Who are you? Show yourself."

The white light disappeared and before them stood Gandalf, clothed in white in place of his usually grey. Legolas fell to her knees in shock and respect for the greater being while Gimli bowed. Aragorn however just looked at him in disbelief.

"It cannot be. You fell." Aragorn said disbelievingly,

"Through fire and water from the lowest dungeon to the highest peak I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountain side. Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time. The stars wheeled overhead and every day was as long as a life age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I've been sent back, until my task is done." Gandalf explained.

"Gandalf?" Aragorn asked, still not believing his eyes.

"Gandalf? Yes. That was what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name."

"Gandalf." Gimli stated happily.

"I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide."

Legolas got to her feet and moved over to the wizard, whom she had known all her life. She reached out cautiously to touch his shoulder just to make sure that he was real, before wrapping her arms around him when she had proved to herself that he wasn't a figment of her imagination.

"I am glad that you are alive," she whispered in his ear when he moved his arms around her.

"And I am glad that you are all well, M'lady," he whispered back, making the sound low enough that Legolas's enhanced hearing could make out what he was saying but the others couldn't, "however we need to move on."

Legolas let go of him and bowed her head in respect before moving out of the old mans way.

* * *

**Kermit - Please do me a favour and GROW UP.**

**Thanks to all my other reviewers**


	9. A New Friend

**NOTE: I'm going straight to the evacuation of Edoras, as I can't think of anything to change and there is no point in just repeating the movie script.**

**Chapter 9**

Legolas walked along close by to Aragorn and Gimli who were talking to Eowyn about Dwarf women.

"It's true, you don't see many dwarf women. In fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they're often mistaken for dwarf men." Gimli told Eowyn.

Eowyn smiled then turned back to Aragorn.

"It's the beards." The man whispered to her, pretending to stroke a beard that he didn't have. This caused Eowyn to smile more before turning back to Gimli as he started to talk again.

"And this in turn has given rise to the belief that there are no dwarf women. And that dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground. Which is of course ridiculous," Gimli and Eowyn were laughing together, until his horse moved forward faster then Gimli had expected it too, causing it's rider to fall off into a couple of bushes.

Eowyn ran after to help him, laughing as the dwarf tried to get up but his heavy armour kept putting him off balance.

"It's all right. It's all right. Nobody panic. It was deliberate. It was deliberate." He assured everyone as Eowyn helped him to stand up again.

"I have not seen my niece smile in a long time. She was a girl when they brought her father back dead. Cut down by Orcs. She watched her mother succumb to grief. And she was left alone to tend her king in growing fear. Doomed to wait upon an old man who should have loved her as a father." Théoden told them as they watched the pair move to retrieve the horse.

Eowyn turned away from Gimli and smiled at Aragorn again.

* * *

"My lord, could I borrow your horse, to go check on the women at the back the group?" Eowyn asked Aragorn. 

Aragorn agreed and Eowyn mounted the horse and turned it so she was facing the back of the caravan.

"Will you join me?" Eowyn asked Legolas who was passing on her horse Arod.

"If that is your wish, M'lady," Legolas replied turning Arod so that he was facing the same direction as Eowyn.

Eowyn waited until they were halfway down the line of refugees before she spoke to the elf beside her.

"Lord Aragorn doesn't treat you as a woman, is it acceptable in elf culture for a woman to act as men do?"

Legolas started next to her, almost falling off her mount in surprise.

"I am unsure of what you mean." She replied, a little to quickly.

"Now, you don't have to pretend with me, you know as well as I that there is no way you could be male."

Legolas grasped Eowyn's mounts reins and pulled it further away from the group, then pulled them to a halt.

"Is it that obvious?" Legolas asked, stressed that her travelling companions would know.

"Only to another woman," Eowyn assured her.

"You can't tell anyone, if you father found out he would lock me up for the rest of my life or until I married," at Eowyn's incredulous look she continued, "I am serious, he only cares for himself and Mirkwood, he would not hesitate to lock me in my room until he can find me a suitable husband to create an ally for his kingdom."

"You're a Princess?"

"Yes my father is the king of Mirkwood, my brother's name is Legolas, my real name is Larwen."

"Won't your father have notice that you are missing by now?"

"Maybe, but my handmaiden is taking my place and my father ignores me for the most part. So I was hoping that I would be home before he noticed, but my travels have extended somewhat." She said, winching at the thought of what her father might do to Vanya if he found out what she had done.

"So no one knows that you are female?"

"Gandalf and the Lady Galadriel are aware but they have agreed not to tell my father unless I endanger the mission."

"M'Lady, are you alright?" one of the King's guards asked them as the end of the caravan past them.

They both turned their horses to face the man, "Yes thank you, my horses saddle came loose and Lord Legolas here was just waiting for me to tighten it and we must have gotten ingrossed in our conversation." Eowyn told the Guard before kicking her horse into motion.

The guard seemed to take the Lady's excuse however he watched Legolas suspiciously as 'he' past as if give a silent warning to stay away from the kings niece.

* * *

**Yes its short, Yes I never update, yes its crap, but that's the way it is.**

* * *

Reviews 

**hahaha-evil** - Father of What? What of WHO? i think you have reviewed the wrong fic.

**alibi girl** - No no chance of that. LOL

**Lady Lestat** - Thank you for you kind words.

**JuMiKu** - i do try but ppl like Kermit just piss me off. They need to be told off for trying to put people down.


	10. Secrets revealed

**Chapter 10**

Legolas ran ahead of the caravan using her elven senses to check for anything that could pose a threat to the people of Edoras. As she approached the top of a hill though she heard a man scream and ran forward drawing an arrow and notching it into her bow as she ran.

When she breached the top of the hill in time to see a warg kill one of two men and she immediately shot the warg as she ran towards the orc who had been riding it and slit its throat with one of her twin knives.

"A scout!" she called, to Aragorn who she saw on the top of the hill she had just descended. Aragorn disappeared from the hill and Gamling, the man who had been with the dead man when the warg attacked rode towards his king to give the news.

Legolas stayed where she was and shot at the warg riders that were now appearing in the distance. She continued to shoot at the wargs as the rohirrim rode past her and she only turned when she heard Gimli behind her, when she swung on to Arod without the horse pausing for even a moment.

Legolas drew one of her knives again as the Rohan men clashed with the orcs. Just before the two hit the battle Legolas felt Gimli's weight leave Arod's back and turned for a moment to see Gimli stand up ready to fight a riderless Warg which was coming towards him.

Quickly pulling out an arrow she shot the warg before riding away, listening to Gimli complain that it was his kill. Legolas moved from warg to warg knocking off the riders and killing their mounts, making it easier for the rohirrim to finish off the riders from their horses.

While Legolas was concentrating on one warg, who was managing to keep just out of reach of her blades, two black arms wrapped around her torso, pinning her arms to her body and lifting her off the ground, she struggled against the grip trying to free one of her arms while another orc come around in front of her with a smirk on its face.

"What's a pretty lass like you doin' on the battle field?" it asked, moving its hand up her leg. To her left she could see Gimli running towards her and Aragorn was moving towards her from the other direction, both having seen her problem.

"I'm more of a man then you'll ever be!" she said, kicking the orc in front of her and using her momentum to push the orc holding her, loosening its grip, allowing her to move her knife around to finish the orc off, just as Aragorn came up behind her, killing the other one.

They turned to each other for a moment, and Legolas saw something dawn in the man's eyes, but before they could say anything they were attacked again by more orcs.

* * *

"Aragorn?"

"Aragorn?"

Legolas moved over to the cliff edge near where she had last seen Aragorn.

"Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing." Gimli said behind him. She turned to see Gimli leaning over a half dead orc.

"He's... dead! He took a little tumble off the cliff."

She grabbed him by his armour pulling the orc up to her face, **"**You lie!" The orc collapsed onto the ground in death. It was then that she noticed the Evenstar pendant which had been clutched in the orcs hand. She stood and moved over the Théoden where he was looking over the edge for any sign of the missing Dunedain.

"Get the wounded on horses. The wolves of Isengard will return. Leave the dead." Théoden said to one of his men.

Seeing the shocked look on Legolas's face and put a hand on her arm, "Come."

* * *

Legolas sat on the wall overlooking the refugees running around the fortress getting everyone settled for their stay.

"Larwen, are you well?" Gimli asked coming up beside her.

She turned and gave the dwarf a small smile before turning her gaze towards the horizon hoping that Aragorn would appear there.

"Death is such a foreign thing to me Gimli. First Gandalf then Boromir and now Aragorn. I don't think I can cope with it anymore. Maybe my father was right to lock me away from all the evil of the world."

"No, no one should be locked away." Eowyn said, coming out of the shadow of the wall.

Gimli looked slightly panicked but Larwen gave his hand a squeeze, letting him know that she knew.

"Maybe your right, maybe he is. But either way tomorrow morning I shall take a horse and I shall return to Mirkwood and my father."

"You are leaving?" another voice asked. They all turned to see Théoden and his personal guard walking up the stairs.

Legolas stood and walked over to the King, "Yes, my lord, I can stay no longer, I must return home to Mirkwood, I have my duties there and I can't abandon my people."

The king nodded in understanding, "Very well, I will provide you with food and a horse for you journey, along with the good wishes of my people."

"Thank you my lord, now if you'll excuse me I will…"

"Look! Lord Aragorn returns." Someone shouted from the wall above the gate.

The group turned towards the shout and then looked where everyone was pointing at the horizon, where Aragorn could be clearly seen, riding towards the keep.

"He's alive!" the villagers called to each other and soon the whole fortress was alive with people trying to get a glimpse of the returned hero.

"Where is he? Where is he? Get out of the way! I'm gonna kill him!" Gimli shouted, pushing his way through the crowd, "You are the luckiest, the canniest and the most reckless man I ever knew. Bless you, laddie." He grabbed the man around the waist in a strong embrace.

"Where is the King?" Aragorn asked, and Gimli nodded in the direction the king had gone.

Aragorn started in the direction of the king but Legolas stopped him, "_Le ab-dollen._ **You're late.** You look terrible." She said teasingly.

She was relieved when Aragorn smiled at him and so she took the mans hand and placed the Evenstar pendant in it, watching as the ranger opened his hand and looked at the lost jewel.

"_Hannon le._" **Thank you.

* * *

**

"So you aren't planning on leaving then?" Gimli asked as they moved towards the armoury.

"No I…"

"No she isn't." Aragorn said coming up behind them, "she is going to go into the caves with the rest of the women. I don't fancy having to explain to Thranduil why I let you come this far, without having to explain why I let you fight in a battle of over whelming odds."

"Please do not tell my father, he will banish Vanya, please he need never know I was gone, I will leave as soon as it is safe and we will never speak of it again. Please." She begged, not caring that the men in the armoury were listening to them.

"And what will you do when news of the Fellowship of the Ring arrives in Mirkwood and your father is told that his son, who hasn't left the forest in years, has been running around with a group of mortals?"

"Then I will tell him that you did not know and I will tell him that I left, but I need to be able to send my handmaiden to the Undying Lands where she will be safe from my Father, Please."

"I haven't got time for this we will discuss it later," he said, grabbing her arm and dragging he towards the cave entrance. He took her into the cave and then addressed the women in there.

"This woman is not to leave these caves without my permission." Without waiting for a reply he turned and left the caves.

Larwen moved over to the side of the cave and sat down. The other women stared at her and whispered amongst themselves, all sure that she had been a male.

While the cave wasn't as dark as Moria they still made her uncomfortable and she could help thinking that she would be spending the rest of her life in the caves that made up the Mirkwood Palace, where she was born.

* * *

"How is this possible?" Théoden asked in disbelief

Haldir stepped forward"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between Elves and Men. Long ago we fought and died together. We come to honor that allegiance."

"Mae govannen, Haldir_."_ **Well met, Haldir. **Aragorn greeted, embracing the elf from Lórien.

"You are most welcome."

"We are proud to fight alongside men once more."

Théoden thanked the elves for their help and asked them to stand along the wall with the Rohan archers.

When the king had left Haldir gave Gimli a small nod in greeting before turning to Aragorn, "Where is Legolas?"

Aragorn frowned at the elf before replying, "You know as well as I that LARWEN is not her brother. I have sent her to the caves, where she belongs."

"Yes well if I had had it my way she would not have made it past the boarders of Lóthlórien. However I would like to speak to her."

Haldir had one last word with his second in command then followed Aragorn through the crowd towards the caves.

In the hour since Aragorn had left her there the Elven Princess had taken charge and was helping Eowyn to comfort the women and she was now help to hand out blankets to all the women and she was also singing an elvish lullaby which had put most of the children to sleep.

"Princess Larwen" Haldir called from the entrance. Larwen turned towards the voice, shock written on her face when she saw who it was.

"Haldir, what are you doing here?"

"Myself and a group of elves were sent here by Lord Elrond to reaffirm the old alliances."

"Well then why are you down here shouldn't you be up with your men?"

"And I will return to them in a moment however the Lady asked me to give you this." He said passing a package wrapped in cloth to her.

Pulling back the cloth, inside she found a bundle of arrows and one of the dresses she kept in Lórien for her visits.

_Talk about strange combinations_, she thought.

She picked up the arrows and underneath she found a note.

_Truth is your greatest ally. _

Folding the message again, she thanked Haldir and moved back into the cave to continue helping.

* * *

**A nice long chapter to make up for my not update in a long time (Not including the last chapter)**


	11. The caves

**Chapter 11**

Larwen sat against the wall of the cave, surrounded by all the children who hadn't been dragged up to defend the keep. To try and ease their fears she had started telling stories to them to try and calm them, and while they didn't understand much of it as the stories were too old for many of them, it seemed to be working.

The battle had been raging above them for hours and they could all hear the men and Uruk-Hai above them, the sound of metal on metal, thousands of feet hitting the floor above them and the death cries of both races alike.

During the sixth hour of the battle there was a loud explosion and the cave shook, dust and some small rocks were dislodged from the ceiling and showering down upon the refugees.

Larwen kept talking over the noise, without missing a beat, trying to keep the peoples attention away from the sounds above them. Some of the younger children moved closer to her nestling into her side for comfort, she wrapped her arms around the small children, drawing another into her lap.

She knew that the stress of being forced to Helm's Deep and locked away under the battle was starting to take its toll on the children and listening to the battle would do the children no good, they were all exhorted and needed to sleep although it was unlikely they would no matter how much their mothers insisted they should, which was why she had started to tell the tales to the children, to distract them. But now they really needed to sleep, whether they liked it or not.

So she sang.

_Lay Down,  
__Your sweet and weary head,  
__Night has fallen,  
__You have come to journeys end,  
__Sleep now,  
__And dream of the ones who came before,  
__They are calling, from across the distant shores. _

She used the edge of her dress to wipe the tears from one of the children's eyes, looking at each of them in turn as she sang.

_Why do you weep?  
__What are these tears upon your face?  
__Soon you will see,  
__All of your fears will pass away,  
__Safe in my arms,  
_

_You're only sleeping,  
__What can you see, on the horizon?  
__Why do the White Gulls Call?  
__Across the sea,  
__A pale moon rises,  
__The ships have some to carry you home._

Apparently her idea was working as she could see many of the children who were already asleep.

_And all will turn,  
__To silver glass  
__A light on the water,  
__A souls pass,_

The women in the caves stopped what they were doing and sat down to listen to the elf's song as well.

_Hope fades,  
__Unto the world of night,  
__Through shadows falling,  
__Part of memory and time,  
__Don't say,  
__We have come now to the end,  
__White shores are calling,  
__You and I will meet again,  
__And you will be hear in my arms,  
__Just sleeping,_

The head of the child in her lap, slumped against her jaw, interrupting her for a moment, she moved the child's head to her shoulder before she continued.

_What can you see, on the horizon?  
__Why Do the White Gulls Call?  
__Across the sea,  
__A pale moon rises,  
__The ships have come to carry you home,  
__  
And all will turn to silver glass,  
__A light on the water,  
__Grey Ships Pass,  
__Into the West._

When she had finished the song almost all of the children were asleep and the others almost so she just sat humming parts of different songs which she knew to the sleeping children. Many of the adults had also managed to start dozing, the long journey and stress catching up with them but none of them really slept, but still none of them, save Larwen heard the sound off approaching footsteps coming from the mountain pass.

She gently moved the child off her lap and changed the direction of the ones leaning on her. Climbing to her feet she lightly stepped through the 5 metre semicircle of children she had been sitting in the centre of, telling any child she woke to go back to sleep, which they did.

Larwen moved quickly to her weapons which she had left with Eowyn, who was dozing against the wall with the other women, many of who had woken as she moved past them.

She touched Eowyn's shoulder, who awoke instantly.

"Someone is in the mountain pass, and I don't think it is any of our men." She whispered in the now wide awake woman's ear.

"Do you have a weapon with you?"

"Yes, I have a knife but I gave my sword to the men for the war." Eowyn replied.

"Do you know if any of the other women have any weapons?"

"Apart from two other women I know who have a long knife like me, most of them have a small knife of some sort for the road but nothing of really use."

"Gather the two who have the knives and one other who you know is good with a sword and will into help," She handed the woman her second white-handled knife and kept the other in its sheath. "Move the other women around the children."

Eowyn went to her task and Larwen headed for mountain entrance, reaching it only a minute before a group of Uruk-Hai come down the tunnel. The first two were down before the others knew what had happened and another followed soon after. Seeing the source of their kin's deaths the rest of the Uruk-Hai, rushed toward the entrance where Larwen was standing, shotting them down as they came.

When they were too close for her to use her bow, Larwen pulled out her knife and attacked them with that. She took down two, using the narrow entrance they were coming through to her advantage. Eowyn wasn't long in coming back with the three other women all armed with similar knives except one who had Larwen's knives double in hand.

Everyone in the caves were now awake, the screams of the terrified children drowning out the sounds of the battle above them and unknowingly exciting the Uruk-Hai who had invaded their safe haven.

_The song, Into the West, is not mine belongs to New Line cinemas or something like that. Also the lyrics may be slightly wrong as I have tried to remember them of the top of my head. _


	12. The battles end

**Chapter 12**

A small group of soldiers raced up the mountain path after a group of Uruk-Hai who were fleeing the battle.

Eomer and Aragorn led the party and both feared what they would find at the other end of the path which was supposed to be a secret escape for the women and children in the caves if the fortress was taken.

As they got closer to the entrance to the caves the sound of metal on metal could be heard & they pushed their mounts faster. They continued in single file one they reached the tunnel into the mountain and they were forced to slow to a trot as the tunnel got thinner.

Suddenly when they were almost at the opening into the caves the lead horse halted nearly unseating its rider and almost causing a pile up as the horses behind were forced to stop.

What the human eyes had misses in the darkness was the mass of death Uruk-Hai that littered the floor of the tunnel and continued into the cave. Dismounting the men pushed past their houses and over the bodies into the cave. When they past the door, they were greeted by 5 blades all held by women, who were covered in dust, sweat and blood. They quickly backed down when they saw it was not the enemy.

The women and children who were huddled further into the cave rejoiced and ran forward to greet the men, reuniting with sons, brothers, husbands and fathers.

Eomer sort out his sister, both relieved to see each other after his banishment, while Aragorn searched the caves for the elf woman he had been travelling with for the last 3 months. Not finding her in the caves he went up to the main fort and into the sunlight. As he had suspected the elf had sort out the open spaces outside the cave as soon as she was able and was looking out over the forest.

"I am leaving as soon as the sun reaches its peek. You will no longer have to worry about me." Larwen informed him without turning from the view.

"And have to explain to your father why you were not escorted back? No you will stay until someone can be spared to return you to Mirkwood or at least Lóthlórien."

"I can take care of myself, no matter how much my father thinks I cannot." She snapped back.

"We are not going to argue about this you will do as you are told, you've caused enough trouble as it is." He turned and moved towards the carnage of the battle to help clear the bodies away.

"I don't know how Arwen puts up with you, you're completely insufferable." She then pushed past him, dodging his grabs for her and moved through the piles of bodies to where Gimli sat on his final kill.

"What was that about?" Gimli asked when she reached him.

"Nothing."

Gimli wisely let the matter go and changed the subject.

"Tell me how is it that even though you were in the caves throughout the entire battle that you come out looking like you've just killed a hundred orcs?"

"Well the dirt is the cave raining dust on us throughout the entire battle and they it wasn't a hundred orcs they were Uruk-Hai." She told him, "They entered the caves through the mountain entrance."

"What was that?" Théoden asked as he past.

"Uruk-Hai got into the caves through the mountain entrance." Larwen repeated.

"Was anyone hurt?"

"No, a group of the women had weapons and we fought them off. Your niece is very good with a sword."

"Thank you." The king said before moving away with some of his men towards the caves.

"You know it's typical," Larwen said to Gimli when the King was out of hearing range, "If they still thought I was male then they would have had much better manners."

"Gimli," Aragorn called from the area that the men were piling the bodies of the Uruk-Hai to burn before any wild animals were attracted by the rotting flesh.

Gimli sent her an apologetic look and moved to help moving the bodies into the pile.

"He is only doing what he thinks is right."

Larwen spun around to find Gandalf standing just behind her.

"Well Aragorn will not have to worry about my father if you continue like that, my heart will fail."

"Oh I doubt that, you elves are made of tougher stuff then that."

"Why is gender so important anyway, the women in the caves proved last night that they are just as strong as any of the men. We can protect ourselves."

"It is the way of things, how would life continue if the women went to war and didn't care for their children or didn't have children?" Gandalf asked.

"It is possible to do both." Larwen insisted.

"Sometimes we must go with what we are told to do, but that doesn't mean that it has to be that way forever."

Gandalf walked off to talk to Théoden leaving Larwen with nothing to do but sit on the side lines and wait until it was time to return to Edoras.

* * *

**Short and a strange ending but...**


	13. Return to Edoras

**Chapter 13**

The people of Edoras headed back to the capital the day after the battle. With them also went the people who had lost their towns in the attacks by the wild men and a single female elf.

A large group of workers stayed at Helms Deep to burn the rest of the Uruk-Hai bodies. All the men and elves had been removed and a mass funeral had been preformed, like in Edoras, Eowyn sang for the dead but this time Larwen joined in with an elvish lament, their voices and songs melding into a perfect harmony.

The men who had stayed behind were also going to start the repairs on the fortress.

A third group, consisting of Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, Théoden, Eomer and a small group of soldiers, left for Isengard to negotiate with Saruman for information on the enemies plans.

When the Rohirrim arrived back at the city there was a rush to return the city to its normal proceedings before the king returned.

Larwen moved around the village from house to house helping where she could, doing everything from helping to fix a leaking roof to caring for the horses after the long journey back from Helms Deep.

On the third day after they returned to Edoras, Théoden and his party returned to the city with two extra tag-a-longs.

"Merry! Pippin!" Larwen rushed forward and pulled both Hobbits into her arms.

"Legolas, you won't believe what's happened to us the last few weeks." Pippin said excitedly, then "Why are you in a dress."

* * *

"So you managed to trick the entire fellowship into believing that you were your brother?" Eomer asked later that night at the gathering Théoden had organised in honour of the dead and to celebrate their survival. 

"Well not completely, Gandalf knew something was wrong the moment he saw me and I'm sure that Lord Elrond also knew but other then that I think I had them all fooled until we reached Lórien."

"I'm guessing that's where Gimli found out." Aragorn said.

"Yes and remember Haldir pulling me away? He took me to see Galadriel; I spent a lot of time in Lórien as a child, that's why I avoided the Fellowship a lot, I as worried that someone who knew me would give my identity away."

"But how did Gimli work it out?" Pippin demanded.

"Yes, I think we would all like to know that." Aragorn put in sending a look at the Dwarf who was hiding behind his mug of ale.

"Well I think Gimli can answer that." Larwen said evilly causing everyone to look at the dwarf whose face was now almost the same colour as his beard.

"I think I'll go and get some more ale." Gimli said trying to move away from the table.

"Come now master Dwarf it can't be that embarrassing you didn't see anything or were you hiding in the bushes before approaching me."

"I did no such thing, I didn't mean to walk in on you in the bath but Aragorn asked me to find you so I did." Gimli said, the large amount of alcohol he had already consumed loosening his tongue.

"You didn't?"

"He did." Larwen confirmed, enjoying the Dwarf's embarrassment.

"Well you shouldn't bath our in the open should you." The dwarf countered.

"Gimli, I have been bathing there since I was but 200 years of age and no one has ever walked in on me there, except you."

"200!" Merry exclaimed as he slapped his cousin on the back to stop him choking, "How old are you now?"

"Oh I don't know 2000 maybe 2500 something like that I don't keep track of my age anymore. The years just meld together after a couple of hundred years."

"Well who found out next?" Aragorn asked, breaking the awed silence that had settled over the table.

"Well that would be a matter of opinion because Eowyn was positive but Eomer's men suspected on the plains."

"What? They saw you for a few moments and they worked it out and I didn't work it out after 3 months." Aragorn asked disbelievingly.

"My dear Lord, the only reason you worked it out was because you heard an orc call me a women."

The entire table burst into laughter at this comment while Aragorn grumbled to himself.

"Do not despair Aragorn, you can use your ignorance as a defence against my father." Larwen teased, "Maybe if you're lucky he will only feed you to the spiders, rather then skin you alive and then feeding you to the spiders."

"No my lady," Gandalf said around his pipe, "He should despair, nothing can stop Thranduil when he is in a rage, which is why I will not be visiting Mirkwood again for the next thousand years or so."

"That's very comforting Gandalf, thank you." Aragorn said sarcastically.

"You're very welcome." Gandalf replied cheerfully.

"So you're from Mirkwood?" Eomer asked.

"Yes." Larwen confirmed.

"There are many stories here about Mirkwood that are told to scare the children into being good"

"Oh really and what do these stories say?"

"That there's an evil tyrant that lives there and if he catches you he'll lock you away in his dungeon for evermore."

Larwen laughed, "Well, that is quite true actually; the 'evil tyrant' is my father, Thranduil…"

"You're Thranduil's daughter?" Pippin asked.

"Yes, you probably heard of him through Bilbo Baggins."

"You knew Bilbo?"

"Only from afar, when ever there are non elves in the palace my father orders me to my room, I only saw him because he passed my rooms."

"Oh." Pip said returning to his drink.

* * *

Not long after that Larwen informed them that she was going to retire for the night and Eowyn agreed to accompany her as they were to be sharing a room for the night. She had been told that sleeping in the same room as the rest of the fellowship would be improper even though she had been sleeping near them for the last few months. 

Eowyn led Larwen to her room and they both stripped down to their undergarments and then helped each other to undo and brush their hair. They chatted quietly as they did this, Larwen speaking at length about her twin brother Legolas and Eowyn confessed her feelings towards Aragorn, both becoming slightly depressed at discussing the lives they could never have.

Larwen was just plating Eowyn's hair so it wouldn't get too knotted while she slept when loud voices started in the hall coming towards them.

"This is highly inappropriate. My niece is in there too, they could be in a state of undress." Théoden said.

"My Lord, please allow me to enter first I…"

"Be silent!"

Larwen gasped at the sound of her beloved handmaiden's voice and that of her father. Both women realised that the group planned on entering the room and they rushed to cover themselves, Eowyn grabbed a dressing gown from her closet and put it on while Larwen was only able to find the dress she had just removed and she held it to her breast as the door flew open revealing and enraged Thranduil, followed by Théoden in a similar state, as well as Vanya, Aragorn, Eomer, Gandalf and the real Legolas.

"What is the meaning of this, barging in without knocking?" Eowyn demanded of them, "We are not in a fit state of dress for company." She said angrily moving in front of Larwen who was still clutching the dress to try and hide herself, but also in a curtsy waiting to be acknowledged by her Adar.

"Be silent!" Thranduil shouted pushing her aside to get to his daughter, Théoden growled something at Thranduil for the abuse of his niece but he was ignored and Eomer moved over to her drawing her close to his side protectively. Larwen had now curtsied as low as possible because she knew she would most likely be in the uncomfortable position for awhile and it would hopefully calm his temper slightly.

"You had better have a good explanation for this outrage!" Thranduil snapped, looking down on his daughter.

Legolas quickly approached her and whipped off his cloak, pulling her to her feet and covering her with it.

"My Lord, this is neither the place nor the time," he said unconsciously shielding his twin from heir sire.

"Very well, come." He grabbed his daughters arm and started to drag her from the room.

"She can't go out there like that!" Eowyn and Legolas exclaimed.

"Be silent woman, must I tell you again?" Thranduil shouted but he released his daughter. "You have five minutes to be dressed and outside before I drag you out regardless." He hissed at her before leaving the room, apart from Eowyn and Vanya everyone followed the elven king from the room, Théoden still demanding an answer for the intrusion. Gandalf left last, giving Larwen an encouraging if not slightly sympathetic look before gently closing the door behind him.

* * *

**Adar Father (Formal)

* * *

**

**A/N – I know It been almost three months since I updated this fic last but I was slightly stuck and I wasn't sure about a fact from 'The Hobbit' but I decided to hell with it and wrote the rest of the chapter, so if something from 'The Hobbit' is wrong I don't wanna hear about it.**

**If anyone hasn't re-read the summery recently, I have chosen to change the plot slightly. Larwen is Legolas's twin sister. So doesn't really change much but makes this easier for me. I know that Females in the fellowship fics can be really annoying.**

**Anyway, I think I will be able to update again soon, but I am not sure when.**

**Lov**

**JEDIBANT **

**PS. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW PRETTY PLEASE. :)**


End file.
